The instant invention relates to athletic equipment and more particularly to a ball tossing device which is operative for tossing a ball, such as a baseball, into the air so that it can be hit with a baseball bat during a batting practice exercise.
Various baseball related athletic activities have been found to be highly popular with persons in a wide range of age groups. For example, activities, such as games of catch and batting practice exercises, have generally been found to be highly popular. However, heretofore, in many instances it has not been possible for persons to individually perform baseball-related activities without other active participants. In this connection, even though devices, such as pitching machines and ball tossing devices, have been heretofore available, the heretofore available devices of this type have generally either been relatively expensive or they have generally been somewhat awkward to operate, and hence they have been less than entirely satisfactory.
The instant invention provides a ball tossing device which is both simple to operate and adapted for relatively inexpensive constructions. Specifically, the ball tossing device of the subject invention comprises a housing or base which is receivable on a supporting surface, a manually depressible foot pedal on the base, means on the base for receiving a ball and for positioning it at a tossing station, and tossing means which is actuatable by manually depressing the foot pedal for automatically tossing a ball located at the tossing station into the air substantially upon the expiration of a predetermined delay interval. The tossing means preferably includes a resilient spring which is mounted so that it can be manually loaded to actuate the tossing means by depressing the foot pedal, and the tossing means is preferably constructed so that the spring is automatically released substantially upon the expiration of the predetermined delay interval in order to toss a ball into the air. The tossing means preferably further comprises a mechanical timer which is driven by the spring and operative for delaying the release of the spring until the expiration of the predetermined delayed interval. The timer preferably includes an escapement gear which is rotatable between engaged and disengaged positions, and a pendulum arm which communicates with the escapement gear as the latter is moved toward the disengaged position thereof in order to control the rate of advancement of the escapement gear. The escapement gear is biased by the spring toward the disengaged position thereof, and it is operative for releasing the spring to toss a ball located at the tossing station upwardly when the escapement gear reaches the disengaged position thereof. The tossing means preferably further includes a ring support for receiving and supporting a ball at the tossing station, and the ring support is preferably propelled rapidly upwardly a predetermined distance by the spring in order to toss a ball into the air when the spring is released. The receiving means preferably comprises a basket member on the base, which is operative for receiving a ball and for positioning it at the tossing station upon actuation of the tossing means, and the device preferably further comprises a holder member on the basket member which is operative for holding a supply of balls adjacent the upper edge of the basket member so that the balls can be individually moved into the basket member as needed.
It has been found that the ball tossing apparatus of the instant invention can be effectively utilized for tossing balls into the air during batting practice exercises. In this connection, the ball tossing apparatus of the subject invention includes a controlled delay mechanism for delaying the tossing action by a predetermined delay interval after the foot pedal has been depressed. Accordingly, a batter can depress the foot pedal and then assume a ready batting position before the ball is tossed into the air so that the batter can take a full controlled swing at the ball. Further, the apparatus of the subject invention is adapted for relatively simple and inexpensive constructions so that it can be readily adapted for use by small children to perform batting practice exercises.
Devices representing the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. to TOPP, No. D-28l,89l; MOORE, No. 2,664,077; SCHENSTED, No. 2,705,003; GOLDFARB et al, No. 3,526,991; COLEMAN, No. 3,792,861; PAYNE, No. 3,856,300 and HUDSON, No. 4,402,507. However, while these references disclose a number of different types of apparatus for tossing balls into the air, they fail to disclose a ball tossing device which is simple and easy to operate and adapted for tossing a ball into the air upon the expiration of a predetermined delay interval, and hence they are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the ball tossing device of the subject invention.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective ball tossing apparatus for use in connection wit baseball batting exercises.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a ball tossing apparatus which is operative for tossing a ball into the air after a predetermined delay interval.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective ball tossing apparatus which is adapted for relatively inexpensive constructions.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.